Ministrone Soup

I have been making this soup for I don't know how long. I can't remember who or what was the catalyst for it, but can tell you that I have been blessed with friends and family who have inspired me as much if not more than my traveling.
What is SO wonderful about this soup is that you can play with the ingredients. I make it without meat and also with meat, and even if the kids don't want the vegetables that I leave chunky, the broth has all the vitamins any ways and they feel like they got away with a huge thing and I secretly know I won! I have,  at different times in my life when  doing a gluten free diet, switch up the penne pasta for rice pasta... the possibilities are endless! Left over vegetables about to go bad are also something I do on occasion. A french baguette and a chunk of cheese if your feeling fancy is a nice add on..

Serves 8-10 and enough to freeze

Ingredients

4 carrots cut into chunks
3 stalks of celery cut into chunks
2 zucchini/courgette cut in half length wise and then into 1/2 inch pieces
2 yellow squash cut in half length wise and then into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups of cooked white kidney or cannellini beans- drained
2 cups cooked red kidney beans-drained
1 28oz or 794g of Diced tomatoes
2 potatoes washed and diced small with the skin on
2 large onions
8 Italian sausages cut into chunks (or leave out if going meatless)
2 to 3  Cups of chicken broth
1 Cup of white wine or water
3 TBS Italian seasoning
12 oz of Penne or Macaroni Pasta
1 tsp of red pepper flake
1 cup shredded parmesean cheese
7 cloves of garlic, skin off and sliced
Sea salt
Black pepper
Olive oil
Butter



Prepare

*In an 8 quart pot, add a generous splash of olive oil and turn heat up to medium high
*Add your onion and garlic
*Add your pork sausage  ( could be turkey or chicken sausage too )
*Add your potatoes, carrots and celery
*Add 2 Tbs of Italian Seasoning
* Keep stirring mixture to brown it up evenly

*Add 1 Tbs of salted butter
*Add a dash of sea salt and pepper
*After everything looks golden , add the squash and zucchini to the mixture
*Toss everything around gently to coat
*Add 2 cups of broth
*Incorporate all by gently tossing 

*Add the whole contents of your diced tomatoes
*Continue to stir until everything is incorporated

*Add your beans
*Add the rest of your Italian seasoning and Sea salt and Pepper
*Add your wine/water and the rest of your broth of needed
*Add your red pepper flake (optional)
*Taste the broth and decide if it needs more seasoning

* Lower the heat to low/simmer, cover soup and let it cook as long as you can, stirring every little while, up to 3 to 4 hours

* Give it a final taste, careful as it will be HOT.. add spice as needed. Turn soup off

* Put a medium size pot on to boil with a dash of salt and olive oil ( By doing this you can refrigerate any left over soup with no worry of the pasta breaking down into it)
* Boil pasta until it is still firm but not crunchy or soggy
* Drain pasta and put back into the medium sized pot
* Add a scoop of pasta to a soup bowl, and then add some soup
* Put a sprinkle of parmesean cheese, let cool for a few minutes if giving it to the kids (it is nice if it sits for a minute like this)

* Serve with a hunk of French or Italian bread and a wedge of cheddar cheese!


* ALSO TRY ADDING (with or in lieu of)

Spinach
Califlower
Corn
Parsnips ( prepare like you would the potato)
Kale
Green beans
White Mushrooms
Peas